employees, employers & viewers call on europe to adopt an industrial strategy for the creative sector with frequencies as a critical asset

Europe’s unique audiovisual model sustains its creative and cultural sector’s economy and jobs. It is a huge asset for Europe’s competitive position in the digital world, cultural diversity and media pluralism.

The creative and cultural sector, acknowledged as a leading employer and value driver in Europe, deserves a strong industrial strategy that reinforces the pillars it rests on. Spectrum allocation is one of those pillars. Free-to-air TV and radio make available to the general public local, diverse and plural European works and information.

Europe needs a change of mindset from platform convergence to co-existence. This in order to meet different consumer expectations, support Europe’s cultural diversity, support original content creation, promote media pluralism and sustain the development of an inclusive audiovisual and radio sectors.

"Spectrum is too serious a matter to be left to engineers"

Olivier Huart

CEO of TDF

In 2015, European policy-makers can bring about an industrial policy that will:

Position creative and cultural industries at the heart of Europe’s Digital Single Market objectives

Guide new and sustain existing investments to increase certainty for employers, employees and the public alike as well as to maintain innovation, plurality and diversity

Take decisions on critical resources such as spectrum allocation on the basis of a comprehensive examination of the impact on cultural and creative sector growth and jobs, particularly in forming common positions for EU in reviewing the RSPP and for global negotiations at the WRC-15

It is urgent to adopt a wider vision, an industrial strategy, a fresh start for Europe.

Take care on the quality of the content. It is crucial for the audiovisual industry. It would be a part of the holistic approach on understanding the audiovisual contribution to the digital package.

Take care on the real supportive conditions for the quality of content development. It is both the responsibility of policy-makers and stakeholders.

Take care of the new business models related to the high quality of content. We need consideration of what the audiovisual industry needs and to understand frequencies as an asset for business development.

Understand all aspects of decisions related to frequencies. Think out of stereotypes with an open mind to win-win solutions for mobile operators and audiovisual industry. We need a new level of the spectrum debate in the EU.

Use the unique call of audiovisual industry as presented today, as a key reference point for the discussion in Europe, also in relation with the Lamy Report.

Do not think about the audiovisual industry in Europe in analogue ways; adjust to the digital revolution in positive sense for the high quality contents’ development.”